Novijen, Heart of Progress

Novijen, Heart of Progress was released in May 2006 as part of the Dissension expansion, the final set in the original Ravnica: City of Guilds block for Magic: The Gathering. Representing the Simic Combine, one of the ten guilds featured in the game's lore, the card functions as a land that allows players to distribute +1/+1 counters onto creatures. It was designed to reflect the Simic philosophy of biological adaptation and evolution through grafting, manifesting this through the use of the graft mechanic introduced in the set.

The card's illustration was provided by artist John Avon, a frequent contributor to the game known for his distinctive landscape work. Avon aimed to capture the dense, overgrown, and laboratory-like aesthetic of the Simic guild's headquarters, blending organic growth with structural components. Upon its release, the card was received as a flavorful addition to Simic-themed decks, though it saw more frequent use in casual and limited environments rather than high-level competitive play due to its slow, enter-the-battlefield-tapped restriction.